The decorative surface of most interior parts is made of one or two sheets of decorative laminate molded with an embossing resin to give it texture. The decorative laminate is then molded and bonded to the part using a vacuum forming process. Vacuum forming, excess decorative laminate must be wrapped around and bonded to the backside of the panel to provide a good clean edge. This edge wrapping process is currently a relatively slow, hand operation involving heat guns and chemicals.
One method of mitigating edge wrap has been to eliminate it by bonding trim strips to the panels.
Workers applying the laminates today often wear heavy cotton gloves to insulate themselves from the heat of the heat guns and the hot decorative laminate. Some workers also wear respirators to protect from solvent cleaning fumes. There are also ergonomic issues with the stretching and pulling of the decorative laminate, as well pressing the decorative laminate down by hand. This process can cause wrist and arm problems as well as the problems with the heat guns.
During the vacuum forming process a fair amount of excess decorative laminate is needed to allow the decorative to stretch and form around complex curves. Excess decorative laminate is thrown away as waste. Using a silicone blanket allows the decorative laminate to be trimmed to almost net size on the edge wrap side, eliminating waste.